In a theatre or other type of performance, there is no audience-based performance to listen to so that argument has no application.

Folk clubs *are* different. They are not concert venues: consider why they are called clubs and the invited performers are called guests.

I can think of many of the best professional folkies who always listen to the other performers. Pete Coe always stands at the back and listens. I have known many not only listen carefully to floor spots but comment favourably on them afterwards if they thought fit. John Kirkpatrick, Alastair Anderson, Martyn Wyndham-Read spring to mind immediately in my experience.

There are lost of benefits to doing this too.
You know if somebody else has already done a song that you were going to do (this happens!)
You find aout what sort of an audience is there, what the atmosphere is like, whether they like to sing choruses, all that sort of thing - I'm sure you'd agree thet reading your audience is a 'professional' thing to do.
Pete Coe claims to have learned some of his songs form floor singers at his gigs.

... and best of all for myself and Mary Humphreys, we wouldn't have got dragged into performing at Martyn Wyndham-Read's "Song Links" concert at Sidmouth next week if it hadn't been for Martyn hearing us do floor spots at two local folk clubs recently!

At gigs we usually try to arrive with plenty of time to relax, warm up etc before starting, have a beer and chat with the organisers etc. We might diaappear out of earshot to tune intruments before we go on, but that's a minor practical detail.

Still, do what you have to - we're all different and your approach may be the only thing that works for you.

Anahata